lips are going to fall off from all of the smiling, and you’ll be tempted in countless ways to screw this up. Don’t.”
Slade leans forward to fluff the pillow behind him. “I’ve got this.”
“I certainly hope so. A lot is riding on the successful release of this book. It’s not just your head on the chopping block.”
His smile falters slightly. He remembers hearing the concern in her voice when they spoke about this on the day they went shopping on Oxford Street. “I’m here to do a job, Ashlyn. I promise I won’t muck it up.”
She pauses for a second before smiling hesitantly. “Thank you. I know Tamsin doesn’t come across as being a worrywart like me, but she has her own things to worry about.”
Slade seriously doubts that. Tamsin doesn’t seem to have much on her mind other than having a good time, and from what he can tell, she’s an expert at that.
“Well, thanks for the update. I’ll be sure to add all of that to my schedule book.” He pushes up off the seat and heads back to his bed. He flops down onto the soft mattress and grabs the remote to hit play.
It takes just under a full minute for Ashlyn’s cheeks to redden and her mouth to gape open with shock. “Are you… are you watching porn?”
Slade grins. “Of course. It’s the only thing good on the telly at this time of day.”
She rolls her eyes. “Do you ever act your age?”
He pauses the movie and swings his legs over the bed. “What exactly do you think guys my age do, love? We fart, burp, and watch porn.”
Her lips curl with disgust so fast it makes him laugh. “We may be cute on the outside, but at the end of the day, we’re still guys.”
Ashlyn’s revulsion seems to lessen and is replaced by incredulity. “You know, I think you’re far more like Ender than you realize.”
“Why? Does he like porn too?” Slade snorts. He might actually like this guy if he were a real person.
Her frown melts into a smirk that almost borderlines smug. “Oh no, he gets plenty of action on his own.”
“And you think I don’t?” He rises off the bed and approaches her. She backs away, fighting to not look below his chin.
He knows she finds him appealing. He could tell from the way she watched him the day they spent shopping on Oxford Street. Her blush became a permanent stain as he modeled countless outfits just to get a rise out of her.
It’s the way she notices him but tries not to that he finds most attractive. He supposes under her T-shirt and jeans, her usual boring attire, there’s probably something rather pretty, but she’s always far too serious for his taste. He likes to have a good time with a girl, but Ashlyn Doyle is focused twenty-four-seven.
He stops only a couple feet from her and plants his hands on his hips. He watches as she swallows and tries to hold his direct gaze, but, just as he knew she would, she backs down.
“You are unbelievable,” she says as she leaps to her feet and brushes past him to answer the knock at the door. She opens it wide as a man ushers in a silver tray with a steaming plate under a dome. The room service attendant offers her the bill, which she quickly scans over.
Slade enjoys the way her cheeks flame and her nostrils flare. “You ordered steak and wine for a small snack?”
“What?” he says, grinning at the server as he grabs the bottle of wine from the cart and heads back to his bed. “I was hungry.”
Ashlyn gives the server a tightlipped smile before signing the bill and adding a generous tip on top. She ushers him back out of the room and turns on Slade. “Do you have any idea what this room costs? How much your little snack was, or how much your stupid porn will cost?”
Slade plods back across the room and grabs his medium-rare steak, fork, and knife. He lifts the plate to his nose and sniffs, savoring the meaty aroma. “They sure know how to make a good steak here,” he says.
“Are you even listening to me?” Ashlyn’s voice has reached
Slade leans forward to fluff the pillow behind him. “I’ve got this.”
“I certainly hope so. A lot is riding on the successful release of this book. It’s not just your head on the chopping block.”
His smile falters slightly. He remembers hearing the concern in her voice when they spoke about this on the day they went shopping on Oxford Street. “I’m here to do a job, Ashlyn. I promise I won’t muck it up.”
She pauses for a second before smiling hesitantly. “Thank you. I know Tamsin doesn’t come across as being a worrywart like me, but she has her own things to worry about.”
Slade seriously doubts that. Tamsin doesn’t seem to have much on her mind other than having a good time, and from what he can tell, she’s an expert at that.
“Well, thanks for the update. I’ll be sure to add all of that to my schedule book.” He pushes up off the seat and heads back to his bed. He flops down onto the soft mattress and grabs the remote to hit play.
It takes just under a full minute for Ashlyn’s cheeks to redden and her mouth to gape open with shock. “Are you… are you watching porn?”
Slade grins. “Of course. It’s the only thing good on the telly at this time of day.”
She rolls her eyes. “Do you ever act your age?”
He pauses the movie and swings his legs over the bed. “What exactly do you think guys my age do, love? We fart, burp, and watch porn.”
Her lips curl with disgust so fast it makes him laugh. “We may be cute on the outside, but at the end of the day, we’re still guys.”
Ashlyn’s revulsion seems to lessen and is replaced by incredulity. “You know, I think you’re far more like Ender than you realize.”
“Why? Does he like porn too?” Slade snorts. He might actually like this guy if he were a real person.
Her frown melts into a smirk that almost borderlines smug. “Oh no, he gets plenty of action on his own.”
“And you think I don’t?” He rises off the bed and approaches her. She backs away, fighting to not look below his chin.
He knows she finds him appealing. He could tell from the way she watched him the day they spent shopping on Oxford Street. Her blush became a permanent stain as he modeled countless outfits just to get a rise out of her.
It’s the way she notices him but tries not to that he finds most attractive. He supposes under her T-shirt and jeans, her usual boring attire, there’s probably something rather pretty, but she’s always far too serious for his taste. He likes to have a good time with a girl, but Ashlyn Doyle is focused twenty-four-seven.
He stops only a couple feet from her and plants his hands on his hips. He watches as she swallows and tries to hold his direct gaze, but, just as he knew she would, she backs down.
“You are unbelievable,” she says as she leaps to her feet and brushes past him to answer the knock at the door. She opens it wide as a man ushers in a silver tray with a steaming plate under a dome. The room service attendant offers her the bill, which she quickly scans over.
Slade enjoys the way her cheeks flame and her nostrils flare. “You ordered steak and wine for a small snack?”
“What?” he says, grinning at the server as he grabs the bottle of wine from the cart and heads back to his bed. “I was hungry.”
Ashlyn gives the server a tightlipped smile before signing the bill and adding a generous tip on top. She ushers him back out of the room and turns on Slade. “Do you have any idea what this room costs? How much your little snack was, or how much your stupid porn will cost?”
Slade plods back across the room and grabs his medium-rare steak, fork, and knife. He lifts the plate to his nose and sniffs, savoring the meaty aroma. “They sure know how to make a good steak here,” he says.
“Are you even listening to me?” Ashlyn’s voice has reached
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